Holder for fabric, namely diapers



Dec. 1, 1953 v, EHRHARDT 2,660,772

HOLDER FOR FABRIC, NAMELY DIAPERS Filed April 9, 1949 2 Sheets-Sheet l EARL l4 EHRHAPDZ INVENTOR;

A TTORNEK 1953 E. v. EHRHARDT 2,660,772

HOLDER FOR FABRIC, NAMELY DIAPERS Filed April 9, 1949 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 EARL M EHRHARDT.

INVENTOR.

A 7'TORNEK Patented Dec. 1, 1953 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE The invention relates to a holder for fabric,

- viz., diapers.

It is customary to wash or rinse diapers in a toilet bowl, the washing action being accomplished by holding one edge of the diaper while subjecting it to the stream of Water which flows when the bowl is flushed. The fiow of water [provides a very strong pull on the diaper and if it should pull loose from the hand of the operator, it will probably form an obstruction in the waste pipe. Occasionally the diapers are left to soak in the bowl and through inadvertence, if the bowl is later flushed before the diapers are removed, the diaper is washed down the drain pipe and forms an obstruction.

An object of the invention is to provide a holder which reduces the handling of the fabric, provides a safeguard against its accidental release, and serves as a storage rack for diapers to drain. The holder is useful for other types of fabrics and for other operations thereon, such as dyeing or processing of cloth or the like. The preferred form of the invention, however, relates to a holder which is particularly designed to facilitate the washing and rinsing of diapers in a toilet bowl and, as to this aspect of the invention, an object is to provide a bracket having flexibility in a number of different directions so that it will fit or can be fitted to flush rims of various sizes and contours and so that the bracket can be mounted into position on the bowl to form a sturdy holder for the garment.

A further object of the invention is to provide a holder of the character described wherein theholder and its parts are arranged close to the flush rim of the bowl to be concealed by the rim of the seat, whereby the holder may be left in position in the bowl without interfering with the normal use thereof.

The invention provides a modified type of holder having a simplified arrangement for supporting the same on the flush rim, as well as a further modification wherein the holder is adapted to be held in the hand.

A further object of the invention is to provide an improved guarded pin or hook device to facilitate impaling the fabric thereon and to facilitate its removal therefrom by pulling on the fabric without the necessity of operating a clasp.

In fact such removal may be effected by an auxiliary tool without touching the fabric with the hand. All forms of the invention make use of 7 this improved guarded pin or hook device.

For further detailsof the invention, reference may be made to the drawings wherein Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a fabric holder according to the present invention, showingthe holder mounted in position on the flush rim of a bowl, this figure also showing the auxiliary hand tool which may be employed to remove the fabric after it is washed or rinsed.

Fig. 2 is an enlarged central vertical sectional view through the holder and bowl of Fig. 1, with parts broken away.

Fig. 3 is an enlarged sectional view on line 33 of Fig. 2 looking in the direction of the ar-- rows, the figure showing one end of the holder.

Fig. 4 is an enlarged perspective view of the holder of Fig. 1.

Fig. 5 is a perspective view of a modification wherein the holder is simplified and provided with a handle.

Fig. 6 is a perspective view of a further modification wherein the simplified holder of Fig. 5 is provided with a hook to hang the holder on the flush rim.

Referring in detail to the drawings, the holder I is a flexible unitary wire bracket shown in position on the flush rim 2 of a toilet bowl 3, for holding a diaper indicated at 4. The diaper 4 is held by two spaced guarded pins or hook devices indicated at 5 and 6. After the washing or rinsing operation, the diaper 4 may be stacked on the open rack provided by the body portion 20 and guarded pins 5, 6 so that the diaper will drain, and later the diaper may be removed. The diaper may be thus stacked and removed from the holder by means of a hook I having a handle 9 and a curved point 8'to catch the fabric.

The holder l, for example, may be made of spring brass wire, chromium plated and it, as well as hook I may have a suitable diameter such as .1 inch.

The opposite ends of the holder I terminate in downwardly facing or inverted U-shaped hook portions I0 and II. The hook In has an outer leg l2 which extends over the outside of the rim 2, a bight l3 which extends across the top of the rim 2 and an inner leg I4 which extends across the inner face of the rim 2. The leg 14 is preferably convex as indicated at I5 to provide spring action between the bight l3. The leg l4 extends outwardly in a leg l6 reversely bent to form a leg H, the legs I6 and I1 forming a V-shaped catch I8 extending crosswise of the plane of the hook is to engage under the rim 2. The legs 14 and is form a vertical V to provide resilience in a vertical direction so that the catch [8 will hold the hook in on rims like 2' of slightly different heights. The legs leand l1 may be spread apart more or less to provide flexibility between the hook I and the safety pin device 5 so that the hook I0 may assume different angles with respect to the leg II, as required when sliding the hooks ID and II forwardly on rim 2 to rigidly jam the bracket I in position, as shown in Fig. 2 and described later.

The leg |1 extends toward the center of the holderwhich might ,be termed ,a body portion 20, namely, the portion between :the spring catch I8 provided by the legs I6 and I1 and the spring catch I9 provided by the similar legs 2 I, 22 which project outwardly to form a horizontal V to accommodate difierent heights -of *rims as above described, both the hooks I0 and H beingsimilar 'evzimpris es 'a spring brass wire bent "into a substantially (J-shaped hook member dike 25, 'the inner leg of the U =comprisingan'upwardly'extending elongated sharp 'pin 2 6, the 'bight-ZI of the U comprising a support and being soldered as indicated at 28 to the supporting portion 2%,

the outer leg 29 of the U "terminating at its" upper end in one or more coils '30 forming a spring, the wire of the guarded pin continuing "from the "sprin'g' t'fl as indicated at 31 to'extend between the legs 26 and 29, the-outer end-of the =portion 3| having an inwardly extending end 32 which bears against the pm as by spring action, so that the portion 3| will i'orm a guard -'i.or '-the'poin-t 33-01 -the hook. 'The end 32 of-the 'guard is rounded and the guard extends both inwardly and outwardly beyondthepointpf the pin 26 when the guard is unfiexed, being mov-able in opposite -'izlirections along the pin beyond 'itspoint to wexposethe pointof thepin. *The 'guarded pin device "6 is spaced from the guarded pin device 5, so that the garment can be grasped at -corresponding spaced points and "pushed against the "action of the guards like 3 I i to impale 'the' fabricat" spaced points-on the *hook 2'5 and 'on -the corresponding hook 36 of the 1 other "guarded-pin device "6. 'The lower "or inner "portion -"of the "rounded end -32 of the "guard facilitates the removal of the *fabric by pulling on 'theifabric. The "end of member 32 points away from 'the"bandof fabricileavingthe pin 26"and hencedoes'not interfere with removal of the fabric.

The body portion "orintermediate port-ion29 of the holder between theguarded pin devices "5' and 6' has' a broad"'convex'jportion in" the form of a V '40' having'an apex-4| at thecentercf theholder. The 'apex-*4| extends forwardly of "aline betweenthe' hooks I0, "II.

The support "portions 23 and '24- and the V *40 he substantially in the same plane which is tilted 'to bring the hooks'like i-il' at -a lower level than the'point il .for'ready access. *Also thepins like are" at '-a"1ower levekthanthe catches I 8 "and I 9;see the .upperiiportion of Fig. 4"by reason of theiactthat the-inner; end of' the 3 leg iTcontin'ues downwardlyine'concave portion 42," see' also 'Fig. "3,t0 substantially match 1 the curvature of" the adjoining front-portion 43 er 'thebowlfwhereby "the body-2U may 'be" sup- :po'rtedby the-bowl. The book I I" and the spring "provided by "theiegs I 22 "likewise --exten'd 7 ,15 in construction, and catches I8 and I9 being downwardly and inwardly in a concave portion 44 to lie against its adjoining portion of the bowl. The V 4|] has legs 45, 46 which provide spring action in a general direction around the rim of the bowl whereby the holder may be rigidly jammed into position on the bowl by placing the hooks I0 and II in position on the rim, as shown in Fig. 1, with the V underneath the rim, and by pulling-both ,of the hooks I0 and |l;| toyvalrdfeach rother around the rim, to jam the point 4| against the front wall 41 or shelf 48 of the bowl as indicated in Fig. 2. When the holder I is unfiexed, removed from the bowl, :the apex 4| is somewhat farther below 'the catches I8, I9, as shown in Fig. 2, wherein the" body portion 2|] is urged down against the ibowl by spring action due to twisting action of the concave portions 42, 44. The

body portion 20 is thus braced against the bowl for various differences --in bowl shape.

*The guarded 'pin' devices 5 and "6 may '-be made of wire of smaller diameter than that 'used for the remainder-of-the holder 1|. The completed holder i is a unitary spring wire bracket, 'the same piece of wire being bent to form the hooks It and II, catches'like =I-8, the downwardly -extending portions 42, 4d, the supporting portions 23, Hand the v=et,- preferably chromium plated' In the modification shown in Fig. "5, the main portion of the holder 50 also'comprises a single 'piece of wire, the intermediate portion of :which is suitably twistedtogether as=indicated at 5| :to form a handle 52, the outer ends of the wire diverging and terminating in substantially parallel portions 5'3, 55. A guarded :pin device simiIar' to that previously described, has a straight portion 55 :securedto the portion 53 in a -suitab1e-manner, for-example, 'by -means of so'lder -51 as describedabove. The guarded pin "device 58 is similar-to the onejust'described and "issimilarly soldered to the-straight portion-54 'as indicated at-fid. Thepins 166 =:and '61 extend substantially parallel to each other and transversely of :the longitudinalaxis of the holder 53.

v The holder'portions fal -to 54 lie in aplaneand portions 53, 54 can be placed on--a suitable supl port -to resist i the push when impaling a fabric that the hook isarranged-atthe' =midd-le of the holder. The holder 450 has outwardly -extending leg portions 52- and 53 here shown :as being crossed, carrying a spaced guarded pin devices 64, -similar to those-above described.

Not-all bowls have-a shelf-like -48 to support the apex 4| and, in that case,-hooks I'll -and'|| --may be movediorwardly: around the aim 2 1 until the apex --4| '--is braced against the-front wall or Also, some-bowls have a front wall shown in Fig. 2,and also- -some -bowlshave. rims narrower "than-as indicated. "In-order tofasten the holder -in=-pesition in-such-cases, use may *be made of --a tie string or the like 'l I ,'-see -Fig. 1, which -'passesaround the-'outer 'leg |2= of the whook lily-around the frontof-"the bowl-and around the outer leg --of-the'=hook ||,-being tied-or fastened in a suitable "knot =01 otherwise as indi- ---cated at "I2.

The holder-shown in Figs. 1- to-4 is somewhat applied to about a dozen -difi'erent ma'kes of bowls and the holder shown in Figs. 1 to 4 successfully fits all of them, substantially as above described.

Various other modifications may be made in the invention without departing from the spirit of the following claims. For example, various articles other than fabrics may be held by holders. Also material other than wire, viz. plastic, may be used for the holder, the safety feature of the garment pin or hook may be omitted, and various forms of garment pins or hooks may be used. Also fastening means other than solder may be used.

I claim:

1. A holder comprising a unitary wire guarded device having a supporting portion, a pin angularly extending from one end of said supporting portion, the other end of said supporting portion having a coil spring remote from said pin and a guard extending from said spring to said pin, said guard having portions spaced inwardly and outwardly respectively from the point of said pin when said guard is unfiexed by said spring, said spring supporting said guard for movement of said guard along said pin in opposite directions beyond the point of pin to expose the point of said pin when said guard is flexed in either direction along said pin, and a holder fixed to supporting portion.

2. A holder for fabric, said holder comprising a unitary wire member having a supporting portion, a unitary wire guarded pin device comprising a substantially U-shaped hook member whereof one leg of the U comprises an elongated pin, the bight of the U comprising a body portion fixed to said supporting portion with said pin extending transversely of said supporting portion and a spring guard extending from the other leg of said U, said guard being movable in opposite directions along said pin beyond the point of said pin, said guard having portions spaced inwardly and outwardly respectively from the point of said pin when said guard is unflexed and being operable by pressure of fabric on said guard to expose the point of said pin when said guard is flexed in either direction along said pin to impale or release the fabric.

3. A holder for fabric, said holder comprising a unitary wire member having a plurality of spaced supporting portions, a corresponding plurality of unitary wire guarded pin devices each comprising a substantially U-shaped hook member whereof one leg of the U comprises an outwardly extending elongated pin, the bight of the U comprising a body portion, each of said body portions being fixed to one of said supporting portions, the other leg of each of said Us comprising a spring guard movable inwardly and outwardly along said pin beyond the point of said pin, each of said guards guarding the point of its respective pin when unfiexed and exposing the same by pressure of fabric applied to said guard lengthwise of its pin in either direction along the pin.

4. A holder according to claim 2 wherein said pins extend substantially parallel to each other.

5. A holder according to claim 2 wherein said holder terminates in an upright inverted U- shaped hook.

6. A holder according to claim 2 wherein said holder terminates in a handle.

7. A holder for fabric, said holder comprising a unitary wire member having a plurality of spaced supporting portions, adapted to fit the flush rim of a toilet bowl, acorresponding plurality of unitary wire guarded pin devices each comprising a substantially U-shaped hook member whereof one leg of the U comprises an outwardly extending elongated pin, the bight of the U comprising a body portion, each of said body portions being fixed to one of said supporting portions, the other leg of each of said Us comprising a spring guard for its pin, each of said supporting portions having inner and outer leg portions substantially in a plane and fitting the inner and outer upright faces of the rim and an intermediate portion fitting the top of the rim, each inner leg portion having a re-entrant portion extending crosswise of said plane and fitting the bottom of the rim of. the bowl.

EARL V. EHRHARDT.

Git-ed in the file of this patent UNITE STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 587,306 Greenfield Aug. 3, 1897 621,662 Hareff Mar. 21, 1899 873,701 Adams Dec. 17, 1907 981,924 Hanson Jan. 17, 1911 1,129,388 Guerrant Feb. 23, 1915 1,179,656 Rosenstein Apr. 18, 1916 1,221,664 Boyer Apr. 3, 1917 1,268,023 Luettschwager May 28, 1918 1,480,159 Fennelly Jan. 8, 1924 1,950,244 Hoyer Mar. 6, 1934 1,989,473 Costigan Jan. 29, 1935 2,296,449 Meisenheimer Sept. 22, 1942 

